Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear is a cartoon character who has appeared in numerous comic books, animated television shows and films. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera and was eventually more popular than Huckleberry Hound.Mallory, Michael. Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. New York: Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, 1998. ISBN 0-88363-108-3. p. 44. In January 1961, he was given his own show, The Yogi Bear Show, sponsored by Kellogg's, which included the segments Snagglepuss and Yakky Doodle.Sennett, Ted. The Art of Hanna-Barbera: Fifty Years of Creativity. New York: Viking Penguin, 1989. ISBN 0-670-82978-1. pp. 63–64. Hokey Wolf replaced his segment on The Huckleberry Hound Show.Sennett, p. 52. A musical animated feature film, Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!, was produced in 1964. Yogi was one of several Hanna-Barbera characters to have a collar. This allowed animators to keep his body static, redrawing only his head in each frame when he spoke — a method that reduced the number of drawings needed for a seven-minute cartoon from around 14,000 to around 2,000."Hanna Barbera's golden age of animation", BBC, December 19, 2006 Personality Like many Hanna-Barbera characters, Yogi's personality and mannerisms were based on a popular celebrity of the time. Art Carney's Ed Norton character on The Honeymooners was said to be Yogi's inspiration;Sennett, p. 60.Anthony, Breznican. "Yogi Bear gets a digital makeover." USA Today n.d.: Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. December 9, 2010. "Yogi, as voiced by Daws Butler in the early 1960s, was a takeoff on Art Carney's Ed Norton from The Honeymooners -- itself a character heavily influenced by the Borscht Belt and vaudeville comics." his voice mannerisms broadly mimic Carney as Norton.Sennett, p. 59. Norton, in turn, received influence from the Borscht Belt and comedians of vaudeville. Yogi's name was similar to that of contemporary baseball star Yogi Berra, who was known for his amusing quotes, such as "half the lies they tell about me aren't true." Berra sued Hanna-Barbera for defamation, but their management claimed that the similarity of the names was just a coincidence. Berra withdrew his suit, but the defense was considered implausible and sources now report that Berra was the inspiration for the name. At the time Yogi Bear first hit TV screens, Yogi Berra was a household name.Bradle, Laura. "The Relationship Between Yogi Berra and Yogi Bear, Explained", Slate (September 23, 2015). The plot of most of Yogi's cartoons centered on his antics in the fictional Jellystone Park, a variant of the real Yellowstone National Park. Yogi, accompanied by his constant companion Boo-Boo Bear, would often try to steal picnic baskets from campers in the park, much to the displeasure of Park Ranger Smith. Yogi's girlfriend, Cindy Bear, sometimes appeared and usually disapproved of Yogi's antics. Catchphrases Besides often speaking in rhyme, Yogi Bear had a number of catchphrases, including his pet name for picnic baskets ("pic-a-nic baskets") and his favorite self-promotion ("I'm smarter than the av-er-age bear!"),Mallory, p. 44. although he often overestimates his own cleverness. Another characteristic of Yogi was his deep and silly voice. He often greets the ranger with a cordial, "Hello, Mr. Ranger, sir!" and "Hey there, Boo Boo!" as his preferred greeting to his sidekick, Boo Boo. Yogi would also often use puns in his speech, and had a habit of pronouncing large words with a long vocal flourish. Portrayers From the time of the character's debut until 1988, Yogi was voiced by voice actor Daws Butler. Butler died in 1988; his last performance as Yogi was in the television film Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears. After Butler's death, Greg Burson stepped in to perform the role (Butler had taught Burson personally how to voice Yogi as well as his other characters). Greg Burson died in 2008. Jeff Bergman and Billy West also performed the character throughout the 1990s for various Cartoon Network commercials and bumpers. In the Yogi Bear film, the character is voiced by actor Dan Aykroyd. In the animated stop motion sketch comedy show Robot Chicken created by Seth Green, Dan Milano voiced Yogi Bear. Media Television series * The Yogi Bear Show (1961) * Yogi Bear & Friends, a syndicated animated series that aired between 1967 and 1968 * Yogi's Gang (1973) * Laff-A-Lympics, where he captained the Yogi Yahooeys team from 1977 to 1979 on ABC * Yogi's Space Race (1978–1979), this show had Yogi Bear paired up with Scare Bear opposite of Huckleberry Hound being paired up with Quack-Up the Duck. * Galaxy Goof-Ups (1978–1979), this show had Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Scare Bear, and Quack-Up working as bumbling intergalactic police officers. * Yogi's Treasure Hunt (1985–1986) * The New Yogi Bear Show (1988), a 30-minute weekday animated series which aired in first-run syndication * Wake, Rattle, and Roll (1990–1991), he and Boo-Boo appear in the Fender Bender 500 segment. * Yo Yogi! (1991) * A Pup Named Scooby-Doo guest cameo in The Story Stick. Films and specials * Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!, a 1964 animated feature released by Paramount Pictures. * Yogi's Ark Lark, a 1972 made-for TV movie for The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie * Casper's First Christmas, a 1979 TV special which had the characters from Casper and the Angels meeting Yogi and his gang * Yogi's First Christmas, a 1980 made-for-TV movie for syndication * Yogi Bear's All Star Comedy Christmas Caper, a 1982 television special starring Yogi and friends * Yogi Bear Earthquake Preparedness, a 1984 short educational cartoon made to teach young children in preparations for earthquakes. * Yogi's Great Escape, a 1987 made-for-TV movie for syndication * Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose, a 1987 made-for-TV movie for syndication * Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears, a 1988 made-for-TV movie for syndication * The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound, a 1988 made-for-TV movie for syndication * Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration, a 1989 a musical TV film * Yogi the Easter Bear, a 1994 TV special for first-run syndication * Arabian Nights, a 1994 TV special for TBS (Aladdin segment) * Boo Boo Runs Wild and A Day in the Life of Ranger Smith, Back-to-back 1999 TV specials for Cartoon Network created by John Kricfalusi and his company Spumco. * Boo Boo and the Man is a 2000 short cartoon. * Yogi Bear, a live-action/animated film released in 3-D on December 17, 2010, starring Dan Aykroyd as the voice of Yogi. * "Yogi Bear 2", a live-action/animated film in the works. Video games * Yogi's Frustration (Intellivision) (1983) * Yogi Bear (Commodore 64) (1987) * Yogi Bear & Friends in The Greed Monster (Commodore 64) (1989) * Yogi's Great Escape (Amiga) (1990) * Yogi Bear's Math Adventures (DOS) (1990) * Yo Yogi Bear (Tiger Handheld) (1991) * Yogi's Big Clean Up (Amiga) (1992) * Adventures of Yogi Bear (Super NES), (1994) * Yogi Bear's Gold Rush (Game Boy) (1994) * Yogi Bear: Great Balloon Blast (Game Boy Color) (2000) * Yogi Bear: The Video Game (Wii, Nintendo DS), (2010) Albums * Yogi Bear and the Three Stooges Meet the Mad, Mad, Mad Dr. No-No, a 1966 comedy album Live action/Animated feature film A live-action/computer-animated film titled Yogi Bear was released by Warner Bros. in December 2010. The movie featured Dan Aykroyd as the voice of Yogi Bear. The film, adapting the television series, follows the adventures of Yogi Bear and his pal Boo-Boo in Jellystone Park, as they avoid Ranger Smith who is trying to stop Yogi from stealing picnic baskets. A sequel is in the works. Songs "Yogi" by the Ivy Three (1960), sung in a voice mimicking Yogi Bear. The song reached no. 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Spümcø Ranger Smith and Boo Boo shorts In 1999, animator John Kricfalusi's Spümcø company created and directed two Yogi cartoons, A Day in the Life of Ranger Smith and Boo Boo Runs Wild. Both shorts aired that year on the Cartoon Network as part of a Yogi Bear special. "Boo Boo Runs Wild" features a fight between Yogi and Ranger Smith, which was edited heavily for broadcast for both violence and torture situations. In 2003, Spümcø created another Boo Boo cartoon, Boo Boo and the Man, which was made with Macromedia Flash and released on Cartoon Network's website. A music video (known as a "Cartoon Groovie") for Yogi Bear airs on Cartoon Network and Boomerang. It showcases clips of Yogi and Boo Boo stealing picnic baskets and annoying Ranger Smith. Broadcasts Yogi Bear aired on Cartoon Network's sister channel, Boomerang until 2014. In the Hanna-Barbera Personal Favorites video, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera picked their favorite Yogi Bear episodes, including the very first one, "Yogi Bear's Big Break", and Yogi meeting some storybook friends: The Three Little Pigs, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Little Red Riding Hood. Comics Over the years, several publishers have released Yogi Bear comic books. * Dell Comics first published Yogi Bear comics starting in 1959 as part of their Four Color Comics line. The Four Color issue numbers were #1067 Yogi Bear (December 1, 1959), #1104 Yogi Bear Goes to College (June 1, 1960), #1162 Yogi Bear Joins the Marines (April 1, 1961), #1271 Yogi Bear's Birthday Party (November 1, 1961), #1310 Huck and Yogi Winter Sports (1962) (also featuring Huckleberry Hound) and #1349 Yogi Bear Visits the U.N. (January 1, 1962).Thompson, Maggie, "Four Color Comics (2nd Series)" (complete list of issues), atomicavenue.com. Retrieved April 15, 2015. In March 1961, Dell also published a 116-page one-shot entitled Huck and Yogi Jamboree (also featuring Huckleberry Hound)."Huck and Yogi Jamboree", vintagecollectibles.net. Retrieved April 15, 2015. Starting in September 1961, Dell began publishing a regular comic under the title Yogi Bear which ran for 6 issues, the last Dell issue being July 1962.Thompson, Maggie, et al. 2010 Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide, 1961-Present. Krause Publications, 2009, p. 835. ISBN 978-1-4402-0386-2. * Gold Key Comics took over publishing the Yogi Bear title in October 1962, continuing the issue numbering from the last Dell issue. Gold Key published 33 issues from 1962–70. * Charlton Comics next did a title for 35 issues from 1970–77. * Marvel Comics did a title for 9 issues in 1977. * Harvey Comics then did several titles for a total of 10 issues in 1992–94. * Archie Comics regularly featured Yogi Bear stories in the anthology comics Hanna-Barbera All-Stars and Hanna-Barbera Presents. After the cancellation of both titles, Archie Comics put out one issue of a Yogi Bear comic in 1997. * DC Comics semi-regularly featured Yogi in Cartoon Network Presents. The Yogi Bear comic strip began February 5, 1961."1961 Timeline: February 5. Animation sensation Yogi Bear is the star of a new comic strip overseen by Gene Hazelton." American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-64 by John Wells, TwoMorrows Publishing, 2012, page 42. Created by Gene Hazelton and distributed by the McNaught Syndicate, it ran from 1961 to 1988. Hanna-Barbera has also produced giveaway instructional Yogi Bear comics on first aid (Creative First Aid: Yogi's Bear Facts (1986)) and earthquake preparedness (Yogi, the Be-Prepared Bear: Earthquake Preparedness for Children (1984) and Yogi's Bear Facts: Earthquake Preparedness (1988)). These were issued in connection with Yogi Bear being used as the mascot for Earthquake Preparedness Month in California, an annual campaign that ran each April for over 10 years and also utilized Yogi in earthquake preparedness posters, advertisements, a cartoon, and other promotions including a special "Quakey Shakey Van" exhibit. California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) News Center, "Yogi Knows About Preparedness." caloesnewsroom.wordpress.com, uploaded October 16, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2015. DVD release On November 15, 2005, Warner Home Video released the complete series on DVD R1. Licensing * Yogi Bear lends his name to a chain of recreational vehicle and camping parks ("Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp Resorts" ), with the first opening in 1969 in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. As of 2011, over 70 locations have hosted the parks. * There is also one restaurant remaining from the chain bearing Yogi's name, "Yogi Bear's Honey Fried Chicken," in Hartsville, South Carolina. See also * Boo-Boo Bear * List of Hanna-Barbera characters * List of Yogi Bear characters * List of works produced by Hanna-Barbera * Theatrically released films based on Hanna-Barbera animations * Yogi's Gang * The New Yogi Bear Show * Yo Yogi! * Yogi's Treasure Hunt Notes External links * * * Category:CBBC shows Category:Hanna-Barbera Productions‏‎ Category:Yogi Bear Category:1960s shows‏‎